Imatinib Mesylate and Hydroxyurea in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Progressive Meningioma

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed meningioma
• Recurrent or progressive disease after prior surgical resection
• Measurable disease by contrast-enhanced MRI
• Multifocal disease allowed
• No evidence of intratumor hemorrhage on pretreatment diagnostic imaging
• * Stable postoperative grade 1 hemorrhage allowed
• No peripheral edema or central or systemic fluid collections ≥ grade 2 (e.g., pericardial effusion, pulmonary effusion, ascites)
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Karnofsky performance status 70-100%
• Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,500/mm³
• Hemoglobin \> 9 g/dL
• Platelet count \> 100,000/mm³
• Potassium normal\*
• Calcium normal\*
• Magnesium normal\*
• Phosphorus normal\*
• alanine aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) \< 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Bilirubin \< 1.5 times ULN
• Creatinine \< 1.5 times ULN OR creatinine clearance \> 50 mL/min
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No excessive risk of bleeding, as defined by stroke within the past 6 months
• No active systemic bleeding (i.e., gastrointestinal bleeding or gross hematuria)
• No history of central nervous system (CNS) or intraocular bleeding or septic endocarditis
• No concurrent severe and/or uncontrolled medical disease, including any of the following:
• * Uncontrolled diabetes
• * Congestive cardiac failure
• * Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• * Poorly controlled hypertension
• * History of labile hypertension
• * History of poor compliance with antihypertensive regimen
• * Chronic renal disease
• * Active uncontrolled infection requiring intravenous antibiotics
• No acute or chronic liver disease (i.e., hepatitis, cirrhosis)
• No HIV positivity
• No impairment of gastrointestinal function or disease that may significantly alter the absorption of imatinib mesylate, including any of the following:
• * Ulcerative disease
• * Uncontrolled nausea
• * Vomiting
• * Diarrhea
• * Malabsorption syndrome
• * Bowel obstruction
• * Inability to swallow tablets
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except basal cell skin cancer or cervical carcinoma in situ NOTE: \*Unless correctable with supplements
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Recovered from prior therapy
• More than 1 week since prior tumor biopsy
• More than 2 weeks since prior surgical resection
• Prior hydroxyurea allowed provided patient has not had progressive disease or toxicity \> grade 3
• No prior imatinib mesylate or other platelet-derived growth factor-directed therapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas)\*
• * Chemotherapeutic agents such as etoposide that are normally given at shorter intervals allowed even if \< 4 weeks from last prior dose of chemotherapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy\*
• At least 1 week since prior biological, immunotherapeutic, or cytostatic drugs
• At least 2 weeks since prior investigational drugs
• No concurrent warfarin NOTE: \*Unless there is unequivocal evidence of tumor progression